Railroad track switch position indicator system and car actuated circuit controllertherefor



T. R. WHITE ,414,079

TEM AND CAR ACTUATED Jan. 7, 1947.

RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH POSITION INDICATOR SYS CIRCUIT CONTROLLER THEREFORFiled Aug. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. THEM/ff fi. Wf/l/"f Jan.7, 1947. R wH|TE 2,414,079

RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH POSITION INDICATOR SYSTEM AND CAR ACTUATED CIRCUITCONTROLLER THEREFOR Filed Aug. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77/f000/FE R.W/f/TE ATTURNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1947 RAILROAD TRACK SWITCH POSITIONINDI- CATOR SYSTEM AND CAR ACTUATED CIR- CUIT CONTROLLER THEREFORTheodore R. White, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 18, 1944, Serial No. 549,991

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to signal systems for use on railroadlines to warn the engineers or motormen of oncoming trains of dangerousconditions on the tracks ahead of them. More particularly it relates toa signal system in connection with a switch operating to open a sidingfrom the main track wherey the engineer of the oncoming train is warnedsufiiciently in advance by a system of signal lights that the switch isopen.

It is frequently the case that when a switch is thrown so as to open asiding from the main line, even though a warning signal is displayed, itis either so indistinct or so close to the open switch that the engineerof the oncoming train is unable to observe it in time to stop his trainbefore running into the open siding. In this manner accidents are causedwith great frequency and with considerable loss of life and property.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which willshow warning signals at various distances in advance of the open switch,and if the engineer runs past the first of the warning lights, the nextsucceeding light at a considerable distance from the open switch will becaused to flash on and off rapidly by contact arms disposed at the sideof the rail. A light showing a constant lbeam may often be unobserved bythe engineer, whereas a light rapidly flashing on and off will moresurely attract his attention and warn him to throttle down and stop histrain.

Briefly described, the invention includes an electric switch boxcomprising a fixed and a movable contact device in alignment with eachother. Assuming the rail switch to be an ordinary hand switch, thecontact devices may consist of two contact points, one fixed on the rodof the rail switch and moving therewith, and the other being mountedfixedly on the inside of the electric switch box. Thus, when the railswitch is thrown so as to give free passage on the main line, the twocontact points are separated and no current passes through the circuit.When, however, the rail switch is thrown so as to open the siding, theswitch rod carries the movable contact point into contact with the fixedcontact point and closes the circuit. Included in the circuit, at apredetermined position in advance of the switch, magnetic coils are setbeside the rail. On throwing the switch to open the siding and thusclosing the electric circuit, the magnetic coils at the advancedposition become energized and an arm attached to one of the coils isthrown up into such a position that it will contact the wheels of anycar passing over the rail. Simultaneously, signal lights also includedin the circuit show at a plurality of positions between the magneticcoils and the siding. So long as no train is in the block between themagnetic coils and the siding, the lights burn continuously. But when atrain of cars asses over the magnetic coils, the switch having beenthrown and the coils energized, the wheels of the cars strike the raisedarm, driving it and its coil forward to a distance sufiicient to breakthe circuit. However, as each wheel passes the arm, the latterimmediately is raised to meet the next wheel by the pull of theenergized coils. There is, thus, a continual, rapid making and breakingof the circuit and a resulting rapid flashin on and off of the signallights ahead of the engine, giving warning to the engineer to bring histrain to a stop.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the drawings in whichFig. 1 represents diagrammatically a section of track including a mainline and a siding with appropriate switching means and the signalcircuit of the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically a switchbox in connection with the rod of the rail switch at the siding shown at4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the magnetic coil systemindicated at 1 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end View in elevation of themagnetic coil system of Fig. 3 taken on the line 4-4; and Fig. 5 is acircuit diagram of the signal system of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a main line of tracks l is represented in which aswitch 2 opens or closes a siding 3 ofi the main line I. The switch 2also operates a main signal circuit which extends from one side of thesource of current through the switch box 4, conductor 5, continuouslyburning red signal light 6, magnetic coils of switch means I andconductor 8 which leads back to the source of electric current. Anotherand secondary circuit extends from conductor 5 through signal lights l2and I3 in parallel, conductor l0, contact points of switch means 1 andconductor 8 back to the source of electric current.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the switch box 4 encloses a spring contactarm M on which is mounted a contact point 15. The contact arm I4 isfixedly mounted on the switch rod It and moves with it when the switchis thrown. Another contact point I! is mounted on the inside of thehousing of the switch box 4. Thus, when the switch is thrown so as toopen the siding 3, the contact point I5 is brought into contact with thecontact point I! and the circuit is closed.

The switch means I is diagrammatically shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Itcomprises the magnetic coils i 8 and I9 which are oppositely wound. CoilI8 is fixed to the housing 20 of the system, while coil 19 is slidablyconnected with the link 2| pivoted at 24 on rocker arm 28 and thehelical spring 22. The breaker arm 9 turns on the shaft 23 which alsocarries rocker arm 28, the breaker arm 9 and rocker arm '29 turning withthe shaft 23. It will, therefore, be evident that when the main track Iis open and the siding 3 isclosed, the coils l8 and [9 are de-energizedand the helical spring 22 pulls coil l9 apart from coil l8, thusbreaking the secondary circuit. By this same pull of spring 22 thebreaker arm 9 is lowered below the level of the rail 25. When, however,the switch 2 is thrown so as to open the siding 3 and to close theelectric circuit through the contact points and I7 in the switch box 4,the coils l8 and i9 are energized. Coil I9 is pulled into contact withcoil 18 and breaker arm 9 is raised so as to be contacted by the wheelsof any engine or car passing over s-rail 25. Simultaneously, a pair ofcontact points, one of which 26 is fixed and the other 27 is carried bythe rocker arm 28, are brought into contact with each other by theraising of the rocker arm 28.and the intermittent signal lights I2 and.13 are thus lighted and continue to burn so long as points 26 and 21remain in contact.

Where, however, a train passes over rail 25, each wheel in passingstrikes breaker arm 9 and forces it downward, turning shaft 23 whichcarries with it rocker arm 28, thus forcing coils l8 and t9 apart andmoving contact points 26 and 27 out of contact. The secondary circuitbeing thus broken, the lights I2 and [3 go out. They immediatelyrelight, however, when the car wheel has passed and remain alight untilthe next wheel strikes breaker arm 9. The effect is to cause lights l2and 13 to blink as long as the train continues to pass over breaker arm9 into the danger zone.

As will be seen from the circuit diagram Fig. 5, the intermittent lightsl'2'and l3 are connected in multiple series in the subordinate orsecondary circuit that is closed by the raising of the breaker arm 9 androcker arm 28 which brings the contact points 25 and 21 into contactwhen the coils i8 and it are energized.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. 'In an electric signalling system, the con bination with a railswitch of a main electric circuit including signal lights adapted andarranged to burn continuously when said circuit is closed and -asecondary circuit including signal lights and means to cause said lastmen" tioned signal lights to burn intermittently when a train enters asection of track controlled by said circuits; said means comprising apair of cooperating contact points in said secondary circuit, a breakerarm, means normally maintaining said contact points open and saidbreaker arm out of the path of wheels of said train, and magnetic coilsadapted and arranged to close said contact points and move said breakerarm into the path of wheels of said train when said main circuit isclosed whereby said breaker arm will open said secondary circuit whencontacted by a, wheel of said train.

2. In an electric railroad signalling'system, the combination with arail switch of a main electric circuit that includes an electric switchthat is opened by closing said rail switch and closed by opening saidrail switch, and a signal light that burns continuously when said maincircuit is closed, and magnetic coils of switch means; a secondarycircuit including a plurality of signal lights spacedat intervals alonga section of track controlled by said circuits, and means to cause saidlights to burn intermittently when a train enters said track section;said means comprising a pair .of cooperating contact points in saidsecondary circuit, associated with said magnetic coils said maincircuit, .a breaker arm normally maintained a position out of the pathof wheels of said train but adapted and arranged ito mcve into the pathof wheels of said train :and to close said secondary circuit when saidmagnetic coils are energized by the closing of said main circuit wherebysaid breaker arm will open said secondary circuit under impact of atrain wheel and be drawn into closed position again when said trainwheel has passed.

3. In association with the tracks of a railroad, an electric railroadsignalling system comprising a main electric circuit including signallights adapted and. arranged .to .burn continuously, and a secondaryelectric circuit including signal lights adapted and arranged to burnintermittently; magnetic coils insaid main circuit and cooperatingcontact points in said secondary circuit associated with said magneticcoils;- a breaker arm adapted andarranged normally to maintain saidcontact points open and to assume a position out of the path of wheelsof a train passing on said railroad track :and to move into the path oftrain wheels and close said contacts when said magnetic coils areenergized by the closing of the main circuit, whereby said breaker armwill opensaid secondary circuit and cause said lights in that circuit toburn intermittently when said arm is impacted by said train wheel.

THEODORE R. WHITE.

